5 potential opponents for Bobby Green after UFC Vegas 49 setback

Bobby Green suffered a first-round TKO loss at the hands of Islam Makhachev last Saturday. While he was unsuccessful, the fact Green accepted the fight on such short notice and fought twice in two weeks likely means his stock went up in defeat.

It was always going to be a monumental task for Green to cause the dominant Makhachev issues in their main event fight. The veteran is, after all, an unranked fighter and had little time to prepare for the biggest fight of his career thus far.

However, his willingness to do the UFC a favor and save their main event may have bought him some goodwill from Dana White and the promotion. He also turned in two very impressive performances prior to the fight with Makhachev.

That could mean Green's next bout may be against another ranked fighter, giving him a further opportunity to earn a number alongside his name. At the very least, he'll likely face someone knocking on the door of those rankings.

With that in mind, here are five potential opponents for Bobby Green after his latest setback at UFC Vegas 49.

---

#5. Bobby Green vs. Joel Alvarez

Álvarez's record now stands at 19-3

Joel Alvarez had an even worse time on Saturday than Bobby Green did. Alvarez took on Arman Tsarukyan and was dominated for a little over six minutes before the fight was ultimately stopped. After eating a few brutal elbows, Alvarez was bleeding profusely.

Given that both he and Green need a step down in competition, perhaps a fight with each other would be a good fit.

For starters, the timing ought to work in their favor as they both fought this past weekend. Green will likely want a break after fighting twice in two weeks and Alvarez will need some time to heal after taking a lot of damage on Saturday. The pair can take a break, re-group and then fight one another in a few months.

Alvarez has been in and around the rankings for a while now, which is right at the level that Green appears to be operating. With both men coming off tough matchups in the forms of Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan, this fight would allow one man to get back on track.

#4. Bobby Green vs. Gregor Gillespie

Gillespie is ranked no. 9 with a record of 14-1

Gregor Gillespie could also present another tough challenge for Bobby Green, but it does appear to be a fight that could make sense. While Gillespie is another decorated grappler and is ranked No.9 in the division, he has struggled to find fights recently and so a bout with Green might tempt him.

Green's recent form and willingness to fight Islam Makhachev at such short notice ought to be rewarded. An opportunity to take on a lower-ranked opponent with a proper camp seems like a suitable prize for the veteran and Gillespie would appears to be a suitable opponent.

While it would be a challenge for Green to deal with Gillespie's excellent wrestling, 'The Gift' showed he can be caught with strikes in his fight with Kevin Lee. Perhaps the veteran Green might find more openings in this one than he did in his bout with Makhachev.

---

#3. Bobby Green vs. Jim Miller

Miller's record stands at 34-16 (1 NC)

It is somewhat surprising that Bobby Green and Jim Miller have not fought already, given the lengthy runs they've each had in the lightweight division. The pair stand out as fighters who have continued to find success even as they've aged. A bout between the two UFC mainstays seems appropriate.

It would be great to see these two legends clash and a nice change of pace for each man as they've largely faced younger prospects recently. Despite that, they have both picked up plenty of wins and they've each won two of their last three bouts.

The winner of this bout would deserve a shot at a ranked opponent. Additionally, pairing these fighters together would create a high-profile bout and allow them to draw a lot more attention than some of their other recent fights. While Green would be unlikely to break into the rankings with a win, this is a fun alternative.

#2. Bobby Green vs. Diego Ferreira

Enter caption Enter caption Enter caption Ferreira is ranked no. 15 with a record of 17-5

Diego Ferreira is in an odd spot in the lightweight division, which might make him the perfect opponent for Bobby Green. On one hand, he is the No.15-ranked fighter in the deepest weight class in the UFC and boasts a win over a former champion in Anthony Pettis.

However, he has now lost three in a row, which makes him the ideal opponent for someone trying to enter the rankings. It would be great to see Green do just that and so making a fight that gives him the potential to do so seems important.

It also seems like an appropriate fight for Ferreira, who needs to prove that he deserves to remain in the rankings. A fight with the veteran would give him the opportunity to do that.

These two appear to be operating at a similar level at the moment. When you add the narrative of Green potentially entering the rankings with a win, it becomes a particularly entertaining bout that fans will want to see.

---

#1. Bobby Green vs. Brad Riddell

Riddell is ranked no. 14 with a record of 10-2

Brad Riddell is another low-ranked fighter who Bobby Green could face next time out. The New Zealander is coming off the first loss of his UFC career to Rafael Fiziev and will now have to defend his spot in the rankings, potentially against a fighter outside the top 15.

Riddell was in great form prior to his recent loss, putting him in a very similar position to Green. These two seem to be operating at a comparable level, so this would be a competitive fight with real implications for the rest of the lightweight division.

Seeing the lower-ranked Riddell look to get back on track against the veteran would be a fun dynamic. The pair also prefer to keep their fights standing, so they could easily put on a very entertaining scrap. If Green were to win, he would also earn a spot in the UFC rankings.